Mary Beth Terry, PhD

Mary Beth Terry, PhD is a Professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.  She is a cancer researcher with a primary focus on reducing the breast cancer burden.  She leads the Chronic Disease Unit in the Department of Epidemiology, which has over 40 faculty members and conducts research addressing the etiology, prevention, distribution, natural history, and treatment outcomes of chronic diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disease. For over 20 years, she has led studies in New York City and around the world focused on understanding the role of environmental modifiers of cancer risk.  She currently co-leads multi-institutional efforts in New York City to reduce health disparities in multiple chronic diseases and to increase diversity in cancer clinical trials.  She also serves as Associate Director of Population Science and Community Outreach for Columbia’s Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center.  She teaches epidemiological methods and data science to public health students, medical students, and undergraduate students.  Dr. Terry serves on the Board of Scientific Counselors and the PDQ Genetics Board for the National Cancer Institute.